Police Board Closes Session

Residents Unable To Speak Up

November 02, 2004|By CLAUDIA VAN NES; Courant Staff Writer

OLD SAYBROOK — Over the objections of commission member Ray Dobratz and despite a roomful of residents anxious to talk about police issues, the police commission immediately went into closed-door session Monday.

The action left the roughly 20 residents who had come to the meeting milling in the hallway and finally leaving, most of them outraged they weren't able able to air their concerns.

The commission postponed last month's regular meeting to Monday. It wasn't until commissioners received the agenda -- in Dobratz's case at 5 p.m. Monday -- they learned they would be interviewing candidates for four lieutenant positions Monday night.

The commission quickly went behind closed doors to interview the six current officers who applied, but not before some criticisms were raised.

The meeting's agenda allowed for no other items. When questioned by audience members, Chairman Tim Conklin said the meeting was ``a special meeting'' called only to do the interviews. However, the agenda didn't state the meeting was ``special.''

Dobratz attempted to amend the agenda so commission members could at least discuss in open session the procedure for the interviews, but he was overruled by other members of the panel.

The commission has known the troubled police department was being reorganized to promote four officers to the newly created lieutenant positions. But the process has not been discussed at any meetings.

This particularly concerned Dobratz, who said the commission was caught unaware Monday night without time to agree on what questions to ask or to prepare themselves for the interviews.

Conklin said those points could be discussed in executive session and proceeded to close the meeting.

Several audience members were able to squeeze in a few comments, mostly concerning their belief Monday's meeting was a regular meeting that should provide time for residents to speak.

Before the meeting started, commissioner Dave Gallicchio asked Conklin whether Monday's session was a special meeting. Conklin answered, ``Well, yes and no.'' But, he told residents it was special and there was no opportunity for them to speak.

Outside the meeting room, resident Sal Aresco said he had wanted to say he didn't think the commission should hire a replacement for Mike Gardner, a patrolman who has announced his resignation. He agreed with First Selectman Mike Pace the money would be better used toward the legal bills the town incurred fighting lawsuits, grievances, contract disputes and other legal issues involving the ongoing differences between rank and file and management in the department.

But most of the others who had come to the meeting wanted to talk about replacing Gardner with Cindi Huckel, one of four officers laid off almost a year-and-a-half ago and the one next in line -- considering seniority -- to be hired back.

Bob Kiehm, Huckel's stepfather and the Democrat who ran against Pace for first selectman in the last election, said he wanted to discuss the reorganization, especially ``the top-heavy management of four lieutenants.''

The officers who applied for the four positions and were interviewed Monday night were sergeants Cliff Barrows, Robbert Van der horst and Tim McDonald and patrol officers Mike Spera, Chuck Mercer and Adam Stuart.